Kid's Cafe continues to serve hot meals after 23 years

(WTVM) - Feeding the Valley Food Bank is providing hot nutritious meals to thousands of children,and they're not stopping because school is out.

One of their programs is making sure no child goes hungry during the summer months.

Kid's Cafe has been feeding children in Muscogee and Russell Counties for 23 years and it's a way to prevent hunger in the community.

For more than a year, Shericka Huling prepares plates, wash dishes and cleans up as a part of her duties with Kid's Cafe.

"I love children and sometimes when they having a bad day I might ask them if they need a hug, they may say yes and I give them a hug and if that makes them feel better I feel good because I made their day," said Shericka Huling, Kid's Cafe worker.

She helps to feed hundreds of kids like 10-year-old Traveon weekly at the Elizabeth Canty homes on Cussetta Road.

"The stuff they do and the food they give us and we enjoy it. Some people don't like it, but I do though," saidTraveon Table

Feeding the Valley prepares the hot meals daily and delivers them to 18 different locations during the summer. During the school year, the number is 11.

"We have sites in several of the housing facilities. They donated a dedicated unit to us so we can set all the tables up and the warming units and keep it that way day to day," said Frank Sheppard-President and CEO of Feeding the Valley.

And because school is out, the number of plates served increases. No child is to be left hungry.

"In the summertime the number almost doubles because the number of children that don't have access to that school breakfast and lunch. We open a number of other sites throughout our coverage area,"

The free program is now in it's 23 year making sure no child is left hungry.

"It's a good program and the ladies really get to know the kids. They teach them table manners and they teach them respect. So they're educational elements to them besides feeding them a meal," said Sheppard.

Kid's Cafe is for those between five and 18 years old. This program is funded by United Way and private gr ants and donations.

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